Free Wi-Fi is already on offer in 22 outdoor locations across the city including Brisbane Botanic Gardens, King George Square and New Farm Park, as well as in libraries and on CityCat ferries.

Cr Quirk said nearly one million people took advantage of the city’s outdoor connectivity last year.

“I want free Wi-Fi in the Queen Street Mall and South Bank to be our city’s legacy of the G20,” he said.

“This project will allow the 17,000 people a day who travel over the Victoria Bridge to get between South Bank and the Queen Street Mall, to remain connected on the go.”

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Cr Quirk described the expansion of council’s free Wi-Fi initiative as the next step in creating a digital Brisbane.

The Digital Brisbane Strategy is a major component of the city’s long-term future prosperity plan that aims to snare a slice of the world’s $20 trillion digital economy.

Cr Quirk said the city’s widespread free Wi-Fi network was helping put Brisbane on the digital map ahead of G20 later this year.

“Any one of the 4000 officials and 3000 media representatives visiting Brisbane for the G20 will be able to access our state-of-the-art public Wi-Fi internet,” the Lord Mayor said.

“The Queen Street Mall and South Bank will be popular locations for Brisbane’s G20 guests.

"These hotspots are also an opportunity to show our digital credentials to some of the world’s most influential leaders.”

The Digital Brisbane Strategy, launched in 2013, has some ambitious five-year targets for making businesses across the city more digitally savvy.

Cr Quirk said council was also encouraging local cafes, restaurants and hotels to be part of a broader “Digital Brisbane” by providing free Wi-Fi to their patrons.

“Through our Digital Brisbane strategy we are encouraging more businesses to offer free Wi-Fi to their customers and in doing so to help residents, workers and visitors stay connected while they are on the go," he said.

"Nearly 250 local businesses including the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre have already put themselves on Brisbane’s digital map."